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 As the country marked the third anniversary of the promulgation of the new constitution perhaps no other issue made as many headlines as the real or perceived disputes between the federal and provincial governments. Intentionally or not, the federal government has found it increasingly hard to devolve adequate power and resources to the seven provinces. There are a few reasons for this. One, most of the federal-level ministers and senior bureau­crats, long trained on the old unitary ways, are not used to such devolution. More accustomed to giving directives and having them blindly followed, they are struggling to internalize the fact of decentralization and devolution of decision-making: These days the provincial and local bod­ies have their own executive and legislative organs and the constitution empowers them to deal with most local issues on their own.

Two, the bureaucrats who were supposed to imple­ment the constitution and ensure smooth functioning of the new federation were never prepared for the tran­sition. They got no training or counselling. As such the provincial authorities are having a hard time convinc­ing them work under the new setup. The Chief District Officers for instance still prefer to report to the center rather than to province chiefs. Since many of the new laws to operationalize the federal system have not been formed, the judiciary also finds it easy to adjudicate in favor of the federal government during disputes.

Three, there is still a lot of trust deficit between the center and the lower tiers of government, even though the same coalition runs the federal government as well as all seven provinces. This owes to the fear among the federal leaders that the provincial chiefs perhaps want to establish alternate power centers. The federal government is also being blamed for allowing local and provincial governments to collect their own ‘punitive’ taxes, even though the constitution explicitly allows this. And when the federal government intervenes, it is castigated for usurping the prerogative of the lower tiers.

There are signs that the seven provinces will increasingly work together to secure greater autonomy for themselves. In a way, the provinces feel shortchanged as the federal and local governments between them are seen as making all vital decisions. It could be a while yet before a modus vivendi can be worked out between the center and the provinces.

Conceived in 2007, Amal­gam Exhibition showcases works by senior artists while also serving as a platform for young Nepali artists and some visiting international artists. The seventh edition this year features the works of 40 Nepali artists including Aditya Aryal, Bidhyaman Tamang, Dipak Lama, Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha, Hari Adhikari, Hit Man Gurung, Ishan Pariyar and Sushma Shakya.

In addition, four guest art­ists—Birendra Pratap Singh, S.C. Suman, Seema Sharma Shah and Uma Shankhar Shah—are the part of the exhibit this year. This edition of Amalgam embraces mul­tiple mediums, as well as a small selection of prints by Printmaking Nepal featuring works of Lok Chitrakar and Late Manuj Baba Mishra.

Providing a rare insight into the contemporary art scene of Nepal, the exhibition spills over from the Babar Mahal main gallery into the outer Pipal bot as well. On Sept 8 and 9, there was a rare oppor­tunity to learn raku ceramic technique with master artist Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha. The main exhibition is open until September 28, 12 pm-5 pm, every day

 WATCH

Sunday Movie Night

6.30 pm, Sunday, Sept 23

Bikalpa Art Café & Bar

Pulchowk, Lalitpur

Get the week up and off with some blasts from the past. This Sunday night features “Foreign Correspondent”, also popular as “imposter” or “personal history”, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

PARTICIPATE

 3rd BASS DAY NEPAL

1 pm, Saturday, Sept 22

Shisha Lounge & Bar

Thamel, Kathmandu

Witness the performances of some of the best bass players in Nepal. Attend the Bass Clinic by Marcus Dengate and see Rizu Tuladhar present “Bass— A musical tool in context of Nepali artist”.

Entry: Rs 200

 ATTEND

The Comedy Tuk Tuk Show

7:45 pm, Saturday, Sept 22

SukraBar, Lazimpat

Book tickets for a night of laughter as three amazing stand-up comedians in K-Town tickle all your funny bones! Comedians Aadarsh Mishra, Alan Jung Thapa and Rajina Shrestha will definitely help put a hysteric end to your hectic week. Pre-purchase tickets at Sukrabar or pay at the door (by 7:25 PM).

Price: Rs.100 per person

 LISTEN

 TMR Trio Blues Session

7 pm, Friday Sept 21

Social Café

Gairidhara, Kathmandu

This Friday night, the TMR Trio featuring Nikhil Tuladhar will be performing an intimate session of blues and rocknroll at the Social Cafe.

 Located at north Lakeside Pokhara, The Office Bar is one office where you would be more than happy to go every day. At its heart, The Office Bar is a place to chill, with good company and great music. With cozy indoor and relaxing outdoor settings in close proximity to nature, away from the hustle and bustle of central Lakeside, The Office at present is one of the favorite venues for live music in Pokhara.

Not that its food is any bad. Its selection of drinks is also among the best in P-town. Yet The Office’s choice of live music is undoubtedly its biggest draw. Talented local musicians perform in a wide genre of music at The Office, much different to the Nepali and Bollywood repertoire you get in central areas. Underground jazz and blues bands from Kathmandu are regulars at weekends along with travelling for­eign musicians hitting the stage for some jamming. And yes, the prices at The Office are reasonable too considering how expensive Pokhara has become.

 THE MENU

Chef’s Special:

- Baked Fish

- Pepper Steak

- Chicken Kabab Wraps

Opening hours:

1:00 pm to 12:00 am

Location:

Baidam Road, Pkr

Cards:

Not Accepted

Meal for 2:

Rs 1200

Reservations:

9804117934

VISIT KULEKHANI

Kulekhani is best known for its hydropower dam, which provides visitors a lake-like environment and an opportunity to boat! Its breathtaking scenery, landscapes, rivers, waterfalls and flora are well worth the time it takes to get there from Kathmandu. Once the ancient trade route with India, you can also see a number of mini Buddhist stupas on the way. Actually you can combine a trip with visiting the Buddhist town of Pharping with its monastery and sacred cave. You may also want to stop at the Bheda Farm in Chitlang.

HIKE TO CHISAPANI

This hill-station offers the perfect mini-trek amid rich flora and fauna of Shivapuri National Park, and spectacular mountains all around. Drive to Sundarijal (about 45-60 minutes by car) and walk up for a couple of hours, past the main water source of Kathmandu, and through Shivapuri National Park with its sub-tropical forests, until you reach Mal Kharka. Here you can have lunch before you hike for another two hours to Borlang Bhanjyang. Another 1.5 hours on and you reach Chisapani (2,215m). The views on the way are breathtaking. Marvel at the majesty of the Lang­tang Himal, Jugal Himal, Ganesh Himal and Gaur­ishankar Himal ranges.

RIDE ELEPHANTS IN CHITWAN

Time and experience have proved that one of the best ways of viewing life in the wild is atop an elephant. At Jungle Safari Lodge in Chitwan, they take you on elephant back to view the wildlife of the area, as far as possible in their natural habitat. Safety and security being a prime concern, you will never be alone and never without profes­sional guides and naturalists. Go get a breath of fresh air!

‘Jalini’, directed by the popular Nepali actor Dayahang Rai, tells the story of the eponymous Jalini, a princess. Set in prehistoric times, it is a dramatization of a folk­tale written by Dhruba Satya Pariyar. (Jalini is one of the stories from Pari­yar’s short story anthology ‘Kairan’.) This 1 hour 15 minutes-long play revolves around the issue of the ori­gins of various superstitious beliefs, and how they are still being prac­ticed. Witnessing the constricted role of women in the society of the time makes you think about the social status of contemporary wom­en. But it is as much a story about love and sacrifice.

To watch this play, make sure you reach on time. If you are even a minute late, you will not be allowed into the theater hall. This is also important because you may be unable to understand the complex story if you are not there right from the beginning.

The play is staged at 5:30 pm every day, and will run through October 7 (except on Mondays). On Wednes­days and Thursdays, the general tick­et price is Rs 300 and for students, it is Rs 200. If you go on other days, general ticket price is Rs 500 and for students, Rs 200. People who love folktales and are in a mood to see some good acting should make time. Mandala Theater at Anamnagar has over the years churned out many talented artists, a fact that is well reflected in Jalini.

Jagdamba Motors launches TVS NTORQ 125  

 Jagdamba Motors, the authorized distributors of TVS two-wheelers and three-wheelers in Nepal, has launched its 125cc ‘connected scooter’ TVSN­TORQ 125 at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Auto Show 2018 being held in Kathmandu. The introductory price of the TVSN­TORQ is Rs 224,900.

Designed for the youth, TVS NTORQ 125 has been developed based on the TVS Racing pedigree and comes with the state-of-the-art CVTi-REVV 3 Valve engine. The scooter also marks the launch of an exclusive technology platform—TVS SmartXon­nect*—making it a connected scooter.

Khalti, Tootle partner for bike hailing service in Nepal  

Nepal’s two homegrown startups, Khalti Digital Wallet and Tootle, have signed an agreement to make the bike hailing service easier. This partner­ship will enable Tootle customers to top-up their Tootle balance via Khalti Digital Wallet and make payment for Tootle ride even more convenient. Amit Agrawal, Director of Khalti, and Sixit Bhatta, Co-founder and CEO of Tootle, signed the MoU to this effect on September 11.

There are two ways of looking at the post-2006 political journey of Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. In one reading, he has matured as a political leader and is more aware of the opportunities and risks of competitive demo­cratic politics. He now regrets his decision as prime minister to fire the then army chief Rookmangud Katawal in 2009. Another cardinal sin was to make China instead of India his first foreign stop as prime minister. As a result of these two decisions, he had to resign after only nine months in office. Come September 2018, Dahal is a changed person. As the co-chairman of the all-powerful Nepal Communist Party this time he made sure he went to India first, and during his over an hour-long chat with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, assured the latter that should he be the prime minister again, he would be more mindful of India’s interests. During his four-day India sojourn (Sept 15-18), he also dropped plenty of hints that he expected KP Sharma Oli to in time vacate either of the two posts: the prime min­ister or the party chairman.

But as PM Oli makes one after another blunder, Dahal has been rather cau­tious about coming to the defense of his own gov­ernment, something that has miffed the prime minister. In this reading, Dahal seems to have matured as a politician as he now looks to avoid the kind of impetuousness that marred his early entry into mainstream politician.

But there is also an alternative reading. In this, Dahal has betrayed the cause for which he waged a long and bloody insurgency that led to the death of over 17,000 Nepalis. From a firebrand revolutionary he has turned into yet another Nepali politician who will do everything to ascend the ladder of power. While he was once capable of openly excoriating the ‘hegemonic and imperialistic’ India, consequences be damned, these days he is ultra-careful not to antagonize the southern neighbor, whose help is mandatory to get back to the top of Nepali politics. In the process he has also abandoned marginalized groups like Madhesis and Janajatis, whose collective cause he once championed.

As he heads to China after completing his India tour, power equations will be top on his mind. Operating under the shadow of a powerful prime minister, and biding his time, Dahal’s political legacy, meanwhile, hangs by a thread.